LLM Legal Practice Course (part time) is now full for entry in September 2018 and no new applications will be accepted. Find out about applying for September 2019.

At Nottingham Law School (NLS) we are confident that our Legal Practice Course (LPC) will provide you with the best training currently available. Our careers expertise and experienced and supportive teaching staff will help you get your career as a solicitor off to a flying start. NLS has an excellent reputation within the legal profession. Our LPC has continuously received the highest possible grading from the SRA of commendable practice in every area of the course.

Why study the LLM LPC at Nottingham Law School?

Study around work and family commitments

Pay fees in stages, over two years to ease financial strain

All our staff are experienced lawyers – many still practice - and students benefit from their practical knowledge.

We teach in small groups to encourage student participation.

Every student has a personal tutor. We get to know our students and support and encourage you in both your studies and in your employment applications at the start of your legal career.

NLS are fully aware of the challenges for law students in the current legal employment market. We constantly review our courses to ensure that they provide our students with the qualifications, practical knowledge and experience employers are looking for.

We have introduced a new elective – Advocacy – which will provide essential experience for anyone considering Higher Rights of Audience training.

We offer an award-winning pro bono programme, including a Legal Advice Centre for the local community. Gaining practical legal experience gives you a head start when applying for jobs or training contracts.

Our dedicated and experienced careers consultants provide guidance and support to help you secure a training contract or other legal employment. Applicants are invited to a careers event in June, before the LPC course starts, so that you can benefit from working with our successful careers team. The number of graduates obtaining a training contract or paralegal work is consistently high.

We provide practical experience: the Bridge to Practice module will ensure you hit the ground running at the start of your career.

Studying with NLS means that you have all the facilities a large Law School can offer plus the advantages of studying within a university environment which offers outstanding library, IT, support, sports, language and student union services.

100% of our students on this course are employed or engaged in further study six months after graduating (latest Destination of Leavers from Higher Education survey 2016-17).

We know that with a changing job market we need to provide relevant legal experience, networking events and careers support for our students to give you the head start that you require at the beginning of your career.

Successful completion of the course enables you to proceed to a training contract and then be admitted as a solicitor. The job market is very competitive and whether you come to Nottingham Law School with a 2.1 or a 2.2 we can add value to enhance your CV and increase your employability.

SRA Information - changes to Education and Training Regulations

The SRA has recently put in place proposals to simplify the training regulations.

These proposals have resulted in the removal of the requirements for students:

to apply for a Certificate of Completion of the Academic Stage of Training

Please note that these changes could impact considerably upon you and it is your responsibility to ensure that you understand your revised obligations in respect of the LPC.

If you are in any doubt about how these changes affect you, please consult the SRA website.

Library resources

LPC students are able to use all of the library and IT facilities of the University, in particular, the 24-hour access Boots Library. The Boots Library houses the entire Law Collection.

Molly Vandervell - LLM Legal Practice Course (LLM LPC) student at NTU

What does Molly think of the LLM Legal Practice Course (LLM LPC)? Watch this short video to find out.

What you'll study

Undertaking the LPC over two years on a part-time basis has always been a good option for those students who choose to combine earning and learning. It means that you can minimise the amount of time spent away from home and the office and spread the financial burden over the two years. It may also be possible for you to complete part of your training contract whilst doing the part-time Legal Practice Course (LPC). Transfers are also possible between the part time course and the LPC full-time.

Our LPC has recently been revalidated so that the successful completion of all its elements will result in the award of a Masters degree. As well as providing you with an internationally recognised qualification, you will leave NLS with enhanced insight into the legal profession and better equipped to succeed.

On the LLM you will have the opportunity to complete a project or dissertation, focusing on aspects of legal practice that are of interest to you. Your work for this will be supported by the following:

a series of lectures delivered by experts within the legal profession

a Bridge to Practice module

a dedicated tutor supervisor.

Students who do not wish to study for the full masters award can still study for the award of a postgraduate diploma, that is, the traditional LPC award. However, all students will benefit from the enhancements made to the LPC.

Stage one

Stage One

The course begins with a short foundation programme in Professional Conduct and Regulation, Research. Business Accounts, and Taxation, immediately followed by the delivery of the Core Practice areas (CPAs). Students choosing the Professional Legal Practice module will also undertake workshops for this module during this stage. Teaching and learning within the CPAs will build on knowledge and skills that you have acquired during your undergraduate academic legal studies, and will integrate the LPC skills and the pervasive topics introduced in the foundation programme to ensure that you are continually practising and developing your professional legal knowledge and skills.

The CPAs are assessed in August/September of Stage One. All other Stage One modules are assessed at the end of the relevant teaching block during the Stage One teaching period.

Towards the end of Stage One you will elect whether you wish to undertake the Dissertation module or Professional Legal Practice module, and supervision and deadlines are in place to support your work planning for this module.

Stage two

Stage Two

During this stage you will study a total of three Electives to be chosen from the list of Elective modules available. The course and curriculum are designed to ensure a progressive approach to the acquisition of both knowledge and skills.

There is an increased emphasis, in particular, on the development of independent research skills both within the teaching and learning of your chosen Electives and in your studies for the Dissertation or Professional Legal Practice module.

The Elective modules will be assessed at the end of the teaching block, and you will be expected to submit the assessment for the Dissertation module no later at the end of Stage Two teaching if you wish to graduate with the full LLM award at the final examination board in July. If you are unable to complete the assessment within this period you will have further opportunities to submit but will not be eligible for an award until you have either completed this assessment or elected not to do so.

If you elect not to complete the assessment for the Dissertation module you will be eligible for the alternative award of a Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice. If no election is made, but you fail to complete the assessment within nine months of completion of the course you will be automatically be given the alternative award of a Postgraduate Diploma.

Modules

Business Law & Practice (including Taxation and Business Accounts)

Civil and Criminal Litigation

Property Law

Elective one

Elective two

Elective three

Wills and Administration of Estates

Professional Conduct and Regulation

Solicitors Accounts

Advocacy

Research

Interviewing and Advising

Writing

Drafting

Research dissertation / Law in Practice (optional for those taking the LLM award).

Course skills

The course skills are advocacy, interviewing, research, writing and drafting and these are often seen as providing the most demanding, and hopefully rewarding, elements of the course. We give particular attention to the written skills of research and writing and drafting; we take seriously the concerns of many firms about the capacity of trainees to handle this type of work in the early part of their training contracts.

Theoretical material is kept to a minimum, and the emphasis is normally on practice and feedback to develop the skills you will need on entering the profession.

Please note that elective modules will only run if sufficient numbers of students opt for them. Consequently, we cannot guarantee that all modules will run.

How you’re taught

The course is studied on a part-time basis over two academic years. Year one (Stage One) comprises eight study weekends (Fri-Sun) and two separate five day blocks (Mon-Fri). Year two (Stage Two) comprises six/seven study weekends (Fri-Sun). For the most part, there will be no attendance requirements for Fridays, but you are recommended to set this day aside for preparation and viewing of Large Group Sessions (LGSs) and vodcasts. There may also be some assessment activities that are scheduled to take place on Fridays of a teaching weekend.

Course structure and content

The curriculum and structure of the course are partially prescribed by the SRA, as the course's external validating body.

Teaching dates

2018/19 Year One

Year 1 teaching will take place over 8 weekends and 2 full weeks (Monday to Friday), between September and June. Assessments will take place in September.

Weekend One

21/09/18 - 23/09/2018 (Friday Induction)

Weekend Two

13/10/18 – 14/10/18

Full Week

12/11/18 – 16/11/18

Weekend Three

08/12/18 – 09/12/18

Weekend Four

11/01/19 – 13/01/19 (Friday Assessment)

Weekend Five

09/02/19 – 10/02/19

Weekend Six

16/03/19 – 17/03/19

Weekend Seven

27/04/19 – 28/04/19

Full Week

20/05/19 – 24/05/19

Weekend Eight

15/06/19 – 16/06/19

2019/20 Year Two

Year 2 teaching will take place over 6 weekends (Saturday and Sunday) between October and April. Assessments will be in May/June. Course dates to be confirmed.

Lecture Capture

Having listened to student feedback, Nottingham Trent University have implemented a Lecture Capture procedure. Available in all teaching rooms that have a capacity of at least 50 students, significant investments have been made to provide our students with this audio-visual facility on all of our campuses. Where possible, the majority of lectures will be available for our students to access as recordings that are synchronised with presentation slides. This provides students with a great tool for recapping on lectures and revision.

How will I be assessed?

Assessments are designed to integrate with the course as a whole. We assess each stage of the LPC's content by assessments at the end of that stage. You will be assessed in each skill, designed to establish competence, on a competent / not competent basis. You will be assessed by examination in each of the three compulsory and elective subjects (your own prescribed materials being allowed in the exams).

Staff profiles

Careers and employability

Your future career

We have a dedicated Employability Team who will support you in your search for a training contract; the number of Nottingham Law School graduates gaining a training contract or paralegal work is consistently high.

At Nottingham Law School we don't view the LPC in isolation. It leads to a training contract and we can provide the support required to give you the best possible start to your legal career:

We will review your training contract applications and formulate individual career plans. We also provide a practical interview preparation service.

We provide a mentoring scheme with trainees from local law firms to provide support and guidance and a personal view of what to expect from life in the profession.

We use the expertise gained from our MBA programme to develop your commercial awareness, which provides a true bridge into practice.

We maintain regular contact with firms specialising in all areas of law.

There are opportunities to get involved with pro bono projects and Nottingham Law School's Legal Advice Clinic, which enable you to gain practical legal work experience.

Our aim is to provide reliable, high quality legal advice and information to the local community and individuals in need. It also provides practical experience for you to undertake your professional legal training at Nottingham Law School.

Learn a new language

Alongside your study you also have the opportunity to learn a new language. The University Language Programme (ULP) is available to all students and gives you the option of learning a totally new language or improving the skills you already have.

All applicants should provide evidence in their personal statement of their commitment to a career in law. Applicants should also ensure that their referee provides a full reference in support of their application. See the how to apply tab for full entry requirement details.

We specify these minimum entry requirements, but we will assess you individually on your ability to benefit from the course. We sometimes offer places on the basis of non-standard entry qualifications, and industrial or professional experience.

Getting in touch

If you need any more help or information, please email our Admissions Team or call on +44 (0)115 848 4200.

Accredited Prior Learning (APL)

Applications from students who have successfully completed either a Bar Vocational Course (BVC) or Bar Professional Training Course (BPTC) within five years of enrolment to our Legal Practice Course may be considered for exemption from attendance and assessment in the following.

Stage One: Litigation; Advocacy; Drafting

Stage Two: Two Vocational Electives

It is important for such students to contact the Course Leader as promptly as possible prior to their application to the Central Applications Board to allow their APL application to be considered. Students who transfer to Nottingham Law School to undertake Stage Two having successfully completed Stage One at another institution will be awarded the Professional Diploma.

LLM Legal Practice Course (part time) is now full for entry in September 2018 and no new applications will be accepted. Find out about applying for September 2019.

International qualifications

We accept qualifications from schools, colleges and universities all over the world for entry onto our UG and PG degrees. If you’re not sure how your international qualification matches our course requirements please visit our international qualifications page.

If English is not your first language you need to show us that your language skills are strong enough for intensive academic study. We usually ask for an IELTS test and we accept some alternative English language tests. For this course you will need: